Ogun sues for peace in Owu, upgrades 24 monarchs
From Charles Coffie Gyamfi,
Abeokuta
OGUN State Governor Gbenga Daniel yesterday visited Owu community where he appealed to the chiefs and prominent indigenes not to fuel the crisis over the succession to the Olowu throne through unguarded utterances.
Also, at another event yesterday, the governor announced the upgrading of 24 monarchs from second to first class cadre.
At Owu, Daniel appealed to all the sons and daughters to see the dispute as a misunderstanding between members of the same family which should be resolved amicably.
The governor who cut his visit to Athens short because of the controversy resulting in the arrest of some Owu chiefs, spoke during a visit to the Otun of Owu, Alhaji M. Ola Yusuf, to appeal to him not to fuel the crisis through his utterances.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, an Owu son, had last week stated that the crisis was a family affair, which is not unusual and therefore it would be resolved peacefully among Owu themselves. He spoke after a meeting with a Reconciliation Committee raised by Governor Daniel to find a peaceful solution to the controversy.
But Yusuf, who alleged that his house was vandalised on Sunday by irate Owu youths, addressed a press conference on Tuesday where he was reported to have said the dispute was no more a family affair.
But Daniel said yesterday that he was not too pleased with that comment, insisting that it is a family affair.
"I am saying this is a family matter and to now aggravate it in the media is not in the best interest of the Owu people.
"There should be no press war in this matter and all the issues arising from the crisis should be resolved as Owu matter," the governor pleaded.
He urged the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Olusegun Efuntayo to fish out those behind the alleged vandalisation of Yusuf's property.
The governor said: "Clear demarcation should be made between those who committed the offence and those assumed to have committed the offence in order not to aggravate the matter".
Earlier, Yusuf alleged that some armed youths stormed his Ago-Owu residence around 4 a.m. on Sunday vandalising his vehicles and other valuable properties in the house.
Daniel announced the elevation of 24 monarchs in his speech at the reconstitution of the state Council of Obas. With the development, members of the council has expanded from 40 to 64.
He appealed to the monarchs to assist his administration in tackling the multifarious devevelopmental challenges confronting the state through more meaningful contributions.
Daniel again urged the rulers not to discourage genuine investors who need land in the state for development purposes by making unreasonable demands for such land, stressing that easy access to land is a strong factor in investment decisions.
The upgraded monarchs were the Osile of Oke-Ona, Agura of Gbagara, Olowu of Owu, Olubara of Ibara, Olota of Ota, Agureme of Idowa and Ajalorun of Ibeju-Ife.
Others were Olowu of Owu-Ijebu, Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo, Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Ewusi of Makun, Sagamu-(Remo) Alaperu of Iperu (Remo), Ologere of Ogere-Remo and Odemo of Isara (Remo).
The rest were Alaye-Ode of Ode-Remo, Elepe of Epe, Sagamu (Remo), Alaye of Aiyetoro, Abera of Ibese, Onipokia of Ipokia, Olofin of Ado-Odo, Alaye of Odogbolu, Akija of Ikija, Oloko of Ijebu-Mushin and Renuwa of Ode-Omi.
The immediate past council was inaugurated on March 28, 1991 for a five-year tenure.
Several factors made it expedient for previous administrations to continually extend the council's life span until Daniel dissolved it in December last year.
The ceremony, held at the Valley View auditorium, also marked the upgrading of 56 minor chieftaincies to the positions of Recognised Chieftaincies and presentation of instruments of appointments to the newly recognised chieftaincies as required by law.
Daniel told the large crowd at the occasion: "In seeking to re-constitute the council, this administration has been mindful of the need to creatively use the exercise to re-engineer the council in order to broaden the base of its membership, align it with new realities and re-energise it as a broad-based grassroots-oriented platform for consultation with the traditional rulers."
He restated his administration's determination to give adequate attention to the needs of the royal fathers as part of its on-going efforts to restore royal fathers and the entire traditional institutions in the state to their rightful place in the scheme of things.
His words: "In re-constituting the council of Obas, government has taken into consideration certain parameters, prominent amongst which is the need to enhance public respect for traditional institutions and promote the economic and socio-political relevance of the Obas".
According to him, the additional 24 members would serve on a rotational basis not a three-year fixed term.
Daniel expressed the hope that the new policy would stem the tide of agitations from traditional rulers who were hitherto not privileged to serve on the council.
The governor explained that the expansion of the council was not meant to trivialise the traditional institution but rather to further motivate the affected obas and their communities.
The new structure, he explained now features four categories of obas which are four paramount rulers who would be at the apex, followed by 21 obas who have been upgraded to the first class category, part two obas and part three obas.
Daniel told the monarchs that the role expected from them include advising government, mobilising their people to engage in self-help projects and assisting the government in informing and educating the people on policies and programmes.
According to him, the chairmanship of the re-constituted council would be rotated among the four paramount rulers beginning from the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Oyebade Lipede after which the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona will assume leadership followed by the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo who will hand over to the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Adekanbi Tella.
Oba Lipede who responded on behalf of his colleagues thanked the governor for the kind gesture towards the traditional institution.
Commending Daniel for what he described as great achievement within his short time in office, the Oba assured that he and his colleagues would work hand in hand with the government to ensure its success.
Governor Daniel later in the day laid the foundation stone of the proposed traditional rulers' complex.
